Catch Me If You Can
by xxAngel.of.Bloodlustxx
Summary: Cloud is coming home to Tifa with a big surprise... but what he finds is more of a surprise that he could have ever imagined. Post-AC and DoC. CloTi.
1. Packing Up

Author's Note: Here's a little story I came up with last night. I was going to make it a one-shot, but then I decided that would make it a very long one-shot, so it'll be a small multi-chapter. It's kinda personal, so if it seems out of character for some, it's just my heart speaking! Enjoy!

P.S. PLEASE REVIEW!!

* * *

Catch Me If You Can

- A CloTi Fan Fiction -

Tifa sat on her bed, staring at the photo in her hands. The photo of him.

Next to her, a suitcase filled with her clothes, pictures, books, jewelry. Her hopes, dreams and memories. In her purse was her cell phone and some Gil, just enough to catch the next train out of here.

She would take only one photo of him, though, to make it so she would never forget him. This would be the one she would take. It wasn't of just him; it was of Marlene, Denzel, him and herself.

She had to admit, she would miss the kids the most. Their sweet faces. But she had to go.

She would come back to visit the kids when he would on deliveries. She had said so in the note she had left them.

She would probably go and stay with Vincent Valentine for a while, until she could find work and a good place to live. He knew that she was thinking of leaving, but of course he wouldn't try to stop her or say anything to the rest of AVALANCHE ; he knew her reasons.

She took a deep breath and packed in the last two items that remained: her diary and her leather gloves. She stopped for a moment, then pulled the gloves over her hands; they were always her symbol of stength, and she needed strength now more than ever.

She stood and picked up her purse and suitcase. She walked downstairs, tears brimming in her eyes, and took out the note she had written for Cloud. She stuck it to bar, and then took one last look around the room; yep, she had erased every sign that she had ever been here.

The note read:

_Dear Cloud, _

_I know that by now you're probably wondering where I am by now. Don't worry about me. I'm doing fine where I am._

_And you're probably wondering why I left. It's kind of hard to explain, Cloud. I guess I should tell you something important, something I should have told you a long time ago... I love you, Cloud. Ever since that day you left for SOLDIER, and ever since that day I found you at the Midgar train station. And every day I loved you more. _

_But I came to understand that you didn't love me. That you loved Aeris. And you know what, Cloud? I was okay with that. Because I was happy that you were finally happy, and I knew that you two were perfect for each other._

_But then she died... and I felt so terrible. I felt like there was something missing from my heart. And I knew that something was missing from yours, too. _

_And that's when I decided that I would take care of you. I would look after you and love you and make you feel happy again... but I've been so selfish, Cloud. I realized that I didn't love you just for her... I loved you for me. I wanted you for me._

_But I just couldn't understand why you still loved her. She's gone, and I'm here. And... and I can't do this anymore. I can't keep loving you, while you love her still. _

_So that's why I've left. I can't stand to live a lie. _

_Don't try to find me. I'll be fine. I love you._

_Tifa_


	2. Empty House and Mysterious Note

Author's Note: Well, here's chapter two! I'm glad you guys like it! Anyway, this is supposed to be a relatively happy story, so sorry for the sad highlights last chappie. :( It gets funnier and happier!

* * *

Catch Me If You Can

- A CloTi Fan Fiction -

Cloud sped down the slick highway on Fenrir, grinning broadly despite the rain. He couldn't wait to get home and show Tifa the ring.

He had picked it out that very afternoon at the prestigious Midgar Jewelers. It was a silver band with a large, tear-shaped diamnond in the middle, two square ones stacked vertically and three smaller round ones on either side.

He could feel the small, black velvet box in his jacket pocket. He smiled again. Tifa would be _so _surprised.

He had rehearsed everything over a thousand times; the lines, the placement, the timing, everything would be perfect for when he asked her to marry him.

Cloud had started thinking about marrying Tifa about a week ago, when he had been looking for the Strife Delivery Service customer book. Tifa had told him it was small, black with gold writing on the front.

Well, as it turned out, that was a very close description of her diary.

Cloud had accidently picked it up, thinking it was the customer book, and started flipping through the pages. The first he came to was from a months and a half ago, on the day of her birthday:

* * *

May 3rd, 8:14

Oh my gosh, today has been the absolute best! I just can't take it in!

I woke up this morning, I must admit excited about my birthday, and then I though that Cloud had forgotten! I was a bit upset, but I decided not to remind him. I just went about my day: wash the clothes, tidy up, serve the customers, blah blah blah.

Well, by the end of the day, I was tired and sad, and I hadn't gotten one gift, a card, or even a phonecall from my friends. I know it's childish, but I went up to my room and cried a little, until I heard a soft knock on the door.

Cloud walked in, with Marlene, Denzel, Barret and the rest of AVALANCHE. Their arms were full of presents, and the kids were carrying a lemon cake with vanilla icing, yellow sugar-flowers and twenty-three little white candles.

I started crying again, I was so surprised!

Cloud got me a beautiful pair of diamond earrings and a new pair of gloves, the kids got me a book and a necklace, and they all chipped in to get me a beautiful black dress and a cellphone.

I was so incredibly happy I almost kissed Cloud! I said, "I love you", but there was such a ruckus that he didn't hear me. I wish he did, though, because it's true.

* * *

He hadn't known what to think, but upon reading a few more entries, it was clear; Tifa loved him more than anything in the world.

And that's when he realized that he loved her more than anything, too.

And that's why today, ring in pocket, he was going to ask Tifa to become Mrs. Strife.

* * *

The moment Cloud arrived home, however, he could tell something was wrong.

Marlene and Denzel would always walk home from school and arrive about ten minutes after Cloud, but today, the door was wide open. The kids were nowhere to be seen.

He rushed forward to see if it had been forced open, but there was no sign of a break-in. He frowned. _That's odd... Tifa would never leave the front door open_.

He entered the house, but to his dismay, Tifa wasn't there either. He couldn't understand it.

After a few moments, the children arrived, excited and bubbling with stories from school, but when they realized that Tifa wasn't there, and that Cloud didn't know where she had gone, they looked as puzzled as he.

They checked the fridge for a sticky-note saying 'I went to the store, I'll be back soon' or something to that effect, but there was nothing. They searched every room in the house. No Tifa.

Cloud was just about to call Tifa's cell, when all of a sudden, there was a yell from upstairs. "_Cloud_!"

It was Marlene. Cloud raced upstairs, to find the little girl staring at something in her hands. Denzel sat on his bed, looking horrified. "Marlene, Denzel, what's wro-"

"_What's this_?" she cried. "Where's Tifa?" She was shaking her small fist, a messily written note in her hand.

Cloud blinked in confusion. What was going on here? He plucked the note from Marlene's hand, then began to read aloud:

_Dear Marlene and Denzel,_

_I know this may seem odd and hard to understand, but I'm going away for a while. I can't continue living here. I love you both so much, and I'll come back to visit once things get organized. Be brave, and don't worry about me._

_Tifa_

Cloud didn't understand. _Going away_? What? Why hadn't she consulted him? It couldn't have to do with family or anything; Tifa didn't have any.

The swordsman suddenly got a strange feeling in his stomach. It was twisting into knots of dread. _I can't continue living here_...

She didn't... She _couldn't_...

Cloud stumbled downstairs, tripping over his feet, then noticed something he hadn't seen before; a small white scrap of paper, folded many times. With shaking hands, he pulled it from where it was taped on the bar and unfolded it. It was in Tifa's handwriting, thin and slanting, but it was messy and hurried.

_Dear Cloud..._

"No," he whispered. "No, no, _no_..."

He crumpled the letter and squeezed it until his fist trembled.

"No, I love _you_!" he screamed. He _had_ to find her! _But where to start_?

He sighed and put his hand on his forehead. This was supposed to be the best day of his life; he would finally announce his feelings to the woman he loved, and lo and behold, that very same woman thought _he _was in love with _another_! _How had this turned into a game of catch-me-if-you-can_?


	3. Edge Barmaid Missing

Author's Note: Okay, so maybe this _isn't_ as happy as I had promised. I had a different idea in mind, but when I sat down to write, this is what came out. My stories have a life of their own, I tell you! Anyway, here's chapter three (already).

I _promise_ that chapter four will have some comedy... let's just say Cloud gets _a visit_ from an angry Barret Wallace. ;) Heh heh...

* * *

Catch Me If You Can

- A CloTi Fan Fiction -

At first, Cloud had thought he should call the rest of AVALANCHE to see if they had seen or heard from Tifa in the past few hours. But he knew that Yuffie would have a spaz-attack, Barret would beat him to a pulp, Cid would swear till the cows came home, Vincent would be silent, and the rest of AVALANCHE would undoubtedly blame him. Option Number Two, he'd hire the incompetant Turks - who couldn't keep anything _quiet_ - to search for her.

He honestly couldn't think of which situation was more favourable, because both ended up with he being ultimately screwed.

He eventually decided to put an add in the newspaper. It was a good way to get clues - he had received a number of calls about sightings and such already -, and he was fairly sure that AVALANCHE did not check the 'Missing Persons' column.

The urgency of finding Tifa had distracted him from thinking about what he did wrong or what he could have done, but those thoughts surfaced a few nights after her disappearance; he was sitting in the bar, alone as usual, maps, tips and feverish notes spread messily across the table. But all he could do was stare at the ring.

It sat in its box, sparkling cheerfully in the dim light. He ran his gloved finger over the band and diamonds, and couldn't stop a single tear from trickling down his cheek. What if he never found her? Would the ring stay like this, untarnished and new in the box forever? He abruptly brushed the tear away as he heard the soft pattering of footsteps on the stairs.

"Marlene!" Cloud called instinctively, clearing his throat and trying to sound firm like Tifa. "It's too late to be up, sweetie. Go back to -"

A head poked around the corner, but it was not Marlene's; it was Denzel's. The boy looked tired, and he had tear-stains running down his face. "Cloud," he said. "Where's Tifa?"

"I don't know. None of us do," he said quietly.

"I miss her..." Cloud saw the tiniest quiver on Denzel's lower lip. "... Why'd she leave?"

The blond swordsman felt a pang of guilt, but swallowed it and replied, "She couldn't live here anymore."

"What does that mean?"

Cloud sighed. "It's hard to explain, Denzel. She just... didn't think she was loved."

The young boy's face screwed up in confusion. "_Didn't think she was loved_? Why would she think that? We love her, don't we, Cloud?"

For the first time in several long hours, Cloud's drawn face turned into a smile. "Yeah, we do."

Denzel nodded fervently. "A _lot_."

Cloud laughed softly. "Yeah."

"So why'd she leave, then?" Denzel asked, his head cocked to the side. Cloud was about to answer that he had no idea, when the boy suddenly noticed the ring. "What's that, Cloud?" he asked, indicating the the small black box on the table.

"It's a ring."

"A ring? For Tifa?"

Cloud nodded.

"What kind of ring?"

Cloud almost laughed aloud. Maybe sleep deprivation was finally eating away at his sanity. "A wedding ring." The sound of it made him feel euphoric and depressed at the same time.

Denzel's face lit up. "You were going to ask Tifa to marry you? That's _great_!" He pumped his fist in the air, but his exuberance was somewhat quashed by Cloud's morose look. He looked down and continued, "That's why you were so happy on the phone two days ago, huh?"

"What?"

"I heard you on the phone, calling some Midgar Jewel place. You wanted the 'most beautiful, most perfect engagement ring you own, and it must be in silver. Tifa loves silver. And it has to match a pair of tear-shaped chandelier diamond earrings'." He imitated the blonde's excited voice perfectly - perhaps a little too nasal for Cloud's liking -, but his face fell. "You got those for her birthday." He said the words so softly the Cloud almost missed them.

There was a small silence, which was sharply broken by a shrill, "You were going to ask Tifa to join with you in holy matrimony _and you didn't tell me_?!"

The two men looked over to the stairs, where a red-faced six-year-old stood with her hands on her hips. Cloud doubted she knew exactly what the words 'holy matrimony' meant, but he was sure that Tifa had taught them to her.

"Marlene, _what _has Tifa told you about spying on other people's private conversations?" Cloud sighed, exasperated.

"She told me it's not nice. But first of all, this isn't a private conversation because you're having it in the bar where I could hear you _anyways_, and second of all, it's not spying when I can hear you _anyways_. And third of all, _why didn't you tell me you were going to ask Tifa to get married_?!"

Cloud suspected that Marlene could 'hear him _anyways_' only if she was hovering over the stairs, but he didn't get a word in edgewise as Denzel retorted, "Because it's a surprise, _duh._"

"I _know _it's a surprise! But he could at least have _hinted _at it!"

"He can't trust you! You'd go and tell Uncle Barret!"

"I would _not_!"

"Would _too_!"

"Would _not_!"

Cloud put his fingers on his temples and massaged them gently. In SOLDIER, they taught you methods of blocking loud noises such as gunshots or shouting, but bullets had _nothing _on these two. But for a moment, it felt nice to sort of slip back into normal, everday life... being Marlene and Denzel bickering carelessly.

But something was missing. _Oh yeah... that's right, Strife_, Cloud thought ironically. _The woman you love_.

* * *

Tifa fanned her face with her passport. There was a sweltering heatwave passing through Midgar, and it was exceptionally hot in the bus.

She gazed out the window. The yellow lines on the road were whizzing past so quickly it made her dizzy. She turned her attention to a jumble of newspapers in the seat next to her. She picked up today's edition of 'The Midgar Sun', and skimmed it until something caught her eye:

**EDGE BARMAID MISSING**

_Tifa Lockhart, 23-year-old manager and hostess of 'Seventh Heaven', a popular bar in suburban Edge, has been reported missing by close friend, Cloud Strife. It is believed that she has fled, but if anyone has even the slightest bit of information pertaining to her whereabouts, please contact Strife at his home or work, 'Strife Delivery Service'._

She folded the newspaper quickly, and looked at the man sitting across from her, Vincent Valentine. He looked slightly uncomfortable being in close confines with other people, but Tifa didn't see what made him so jumpy, seeing as the only other people around them was a sleeping old lady and the bus driver.

But apparently he wasn't the only one feeling uneasy; Vincent reached over and touched her hand. Tifa jumped. "We're almost there," he rasped. Tifa nodded and settled back in her seat. She sighed and started drumming her fingers on her lap. After a few seconds, Vincent asked, "Nervous?"

"No, why?"

"You've been cracking your knuckles and chewing your nails and biting you lip for the last hour."

"Oh." Tifa folded her hands in her lap and sighed. "I guess I _am _a bit nervous... well, _more _than a bit." Vincent's silence urged her to go on. "I mean, I'm starting a new life without the people I care most about." She swallowed the lump in her throat and looked down at her feet. "I'm terrified."

"I understand."

In her heart of hearts, Tifa knew that he didn't, but it made her feel better anyway. "Thanks," she murmured, just as the bus came to a halt outside an old and seemingly abandoned bungalo. She grabbed the newspaper she'd been reading, balled it up tightly and stuffed it in her purse.

"What is this place?" she asked as she stepped off the bus.

"It's the most remote and unlikely place," the enigmatic man replied. Though it wasn't much of an answer, it was good enough for her.

She turned and looked out to where Midgar and Edge's hazy outline could be seen in the distance. She wondered where Cloud was, and if he missed her.

* * *

Author's Note: Marlene is positively kick-ass in this!! I got the idea from my sister, when she had a little spaz-attack. Hee hee, Yuffie havin' a spaz-attack... and yes, Cloud's a bit sleep-deprived! Aren't we all...

And don't even _ask_ where I got 'The Midgar Sun'. If anyone has a better suggestion, I'd like to hear it! XD


	4. Detective Strife

**Author's Note:** Okay, this chapter is fairly short, but I hadn't gotten any ideas and I didn't want people to come chasing after me with torches and pitchforks, so I wrote this hastily.

* * *

Catch Me If You Can

- A CloTi Fan Fiction -

Cloud walked around the house, searching for clues.

So far, he'd found a shred of paper with Vincent Valentine's name. The ink was black, so he could tell it was written recently; Marlene had complained that signatures on official school papers and permission forms had to be filled out in black ink - _not_ yellow highlighter or Tifa's favourite sparkly purple pen -, so all the pens in the house were now black.

He had resolved to call Vincent - now that, after much teasing etcetera, the mysterious man had a phone -, but stopped himself. If Vincent knew about Tifa's disappearance, wouldn't he have come forward already? And if he _didn't_, and Cloud told him, would he tell the other memebers of AVALANCHE?

Cloud ran his hands through his messy blond hair. Detectivework was so complicated!

_Detective Cloud Strife... now that sounds damn fine_, he thought smugly to himself.

But when he finally came to the last room in the house, the room he dreaded looking through, his smugness was replaced by gloom; he had to search Tifa's room. He entered quietly, as if lay sleeping on the bed and he was afraid to wake her. But the bed hadn't been slept in for several days.

He looked under the bed, where he found nothing but a whole bunch of dust bunnies. Her closet, drawers and bedside table were empty, and the photographs had been taken from the frames. The only things that were still on the table were the lamp, a stack of post-it notes, and her favourite purple pen.

He plucked the pen from its spot. _She forgot it_, he thought sadly. He fingered it affectionately, thinking of all the times he had watched her write with it, all the times he had shook his head. "Have you ever written with anything else?" he'd ask. She'd just smile and shake her head. "No. Never." And then she'd talk about how she's owned that pen longer than she'd known him. He'd grinned, but hadn't believed her.

He sat down on the bed in despair, when he head a strange creaking noise. He stood up, then sat down again. _There it was again_!

He gingerly replaced the pen on the table, then lifted the mattress. There was nothing interesting; only the pannels supporting the mattress. He tapped each one, to see if there was anything strange. Nothing out of the ordinary...

_Wait_.

Was this pannel... _hollow_?

A few more taps confirmed his suspicions, and Cloud removed the pannel in question to find a small notch on the underside. He dug his nail into it, and popped out a large square of wood. He blinked in confusion. Why would Tifa have a secret hollow pannel under her bed?

He shook the pannel until three objects fell out; a sheaf of paper with a series of numbers on it, a map with purple 'x's on it, and a small black box.

Cloud inspected the paper. Though the digits were not separated by hyphens, the numbers looked like a possible phone number! And the 'x's were in Tifa's sparkly pen... but none of them marked a common place, or even a _city_!

He turned his attention to the box. There was a receipt taped to the bottom, old and yellowed, but he could still make out the name: _Midgar Jewellers, Ms. Tifa Lockhart_. He frowned and opened the box: inside sat...

_**AN ENGAGEMENT RING**_?!

His jaw dropped. Tifa had bought a ring from Midgar Jewellers? _When_? He searched the receipt for a date; even more surprising, she had bought it a few months after Meteor! He quickly opened the box, to reveal a simple gold band with the inscription, '_To Cloud Strife, My Hero and One True Love'_ on the inside. He ran his hands through his hair. How could this be? She had bought this for _him_?

So many things in the note started to make sense... most of all how she had thought that he loved Aeris, because he left her and the kids shortly after Meteor. How could he have been so blind?

He hung his head sadly. He had to find her, he just had to!

From downstairs, he heard the kids come in from school. He sighed. He had to put up a brave face for them; he had to be their 'mother' in Tifa's stead...

Cloud trudged down the stairs, eyes half-closed. "Hey, Marlene, Denz -"

_SMASH_!

"You cold, unfeeling _jackass_!"

Cloud stumbled down the stairs, clutching his nose, which was now gushing blood and which he suspected was broken. He looked up, to see a towering Barret Wallace before him, rubbing his fist in satisfaction. If looks could kill, Barret's death-stare would have demolished several small towns. "_Barret_!?"

"_What in the hell did you do to make Tifa leave, Spikey_?!" the man thundered.

"Damn it, Barret -"

"Don't you _dare_ swear in front of my little girl!"

"What about you? You swear like... like _Cid_! And... wait a second... y_our little girl_?" Cloud echoed incredulously, still holding his bleeding nose. He looked behind Barret, where stood an innocent little brunette six-year-old, arms folded and looking quite triumphant. Denzel was standing next to her, shrugging. "I _told _you she'd tell Uncle Barret, Cloud."

"Didn't think we'd check the 'Missing Persons' llist, didya, Spiky-ass?"

_Shit_.

"Tifa is like my own daugther," Barret raged on, picking him by the scruff of the neck and slamming him onto a barstool for further interrogation. "So I want to goddamn hear if she runs away! _What did you do_?"

"Nothing!" Cloud insisted, though he doubted whatever he said would change Barret's attitude.

The man held up a clenched fist. "Is _this_ nothing?" Cloud feared another pounding, but realized that Barret was holding something, which he dropped on the bar. Tifa's crumpled-up note.

Cloud stared at it, his jaw dropping. "How the hell did you -"

He shot a black look at Marlene. She shook her head. "_I_ didn't do it."

The way she said '_I_' made Cloud turn his attention to Denzel, who blushed and said shamefully, "Guilty as charged." Cloud's look of utter fury made Denzel hold his hands up in protest. "Uncle Barret threatened to give me tickle-torture unless I told him about the note!"

Cloud pinched the bridge of his nose - which was still bleeding - and said, "Look, Barret, I don't know why she left -"

"_**I THINK THIS MAKES IT PRETTY FUCKING CLEAR**_!"

Cloud turned white and exclaimed in a strangled voice, "_Barret_!" Tifa hated it when he swore like that, so he clapped his hands over Marlene's ears, but she swatted him away. "I've heard it _before_, Cloud." She didn't sound impressed.

Oh geez, how was he going to explain Marlene's interesting knowledge of... ahem, _colourful language _to Tifa when she - Cloud sighed - _if _he found her?

"Barret, _please _listen," Cloud pleaded. "I know I've messed up -"

"_That's_ for damn sure!"

Cloud ignored him and continued, "- but I'm trying to find her!"

"Then I'll get the rest of AVALANCHE to help!"

"_**NO**_! Don't - this is something I need to do on my own."

Barret didn't look convinced - or placated - but he said, "Just find her, Spike. Because you know that we'll all take turns kicking your ass if you don't." He stormed out.

Well, that wasn't exactly... _reassuring_, but at least he had Barret's approval.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Let's have a recap (not in order): Cloud gets his nose broken, Tifa has a secret pannel under her bed, Marlene gossips to Barret, Denzel gets threatened with tickle-torture... wow, what a day for poor Cloud! But get ready for the next chapter, 'cause Cloudy-boy gets a nice little bashing from two dead people. Muahahahaha! ... I like torturing Mr. Strife, yes?

Heh heh... Detective Strife.


End file.
